Report: WWE Interested in Ronda Rousey

Ever since the launch of Wrestlemania thirty years ago, WWE has taken every opportunity it has had to bring celebrities into their promotion.

From Mr. T & Cyndi Lauper to Shaquille O’Neal to Floyd Mayweather, WWE has not been shy about bringing in world-famous athletes and celebrities as a part of their programming. According to the Wrestling Observer (subscription required) via Cageside Seats, the next recognizable athlete to cross into the wrestling world could be none other than UFC’s resident bad girl, Ronda Rousey.

Following her enjoyable visit to WWE’s SummerSlam show in Los Angeles on August 17th, The Wrestling Observer says that the company is more interested than ever in doing business with the mixed martial artist.

Her time at and around the Staples Center earlier this month – specifically her interactions with Stephanie McMahon – opened a lot of eyes to the champ and her potential value to WWE. Combine that with her role in Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables 3, a film that disappointed at the box office but which featured WWE-friendly celebs like Sly and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and suddenly Rousey became a figure of great interest to WWE brass.

The Observer believes the company will be making her an offer to do something for them on television and/or pay-per-view (PPV) very soon.

What a boon this would be for the WWE. Rousey is one of, if not the, biggest names in UFC. On top of that, the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champ is one of the most recognizable athletes in all of sports. Bringing her into the fold would instantly give WWE a ton of mainstream media attention. While WWE in the past has stayed away from mentioning the UFC on-air, the Championship reign of Brock Lesnar has brought MMA to the forefront of the company.

Rousey was even featured during SummerSlam as one of the celebrities in attendance, with WWE not shy to give the UFC star screen-time on one of their pay-per-views.

And it can’t hurt to have the owner’s daughter in your corner, either.

All that being said, most find it highly unlikely that Dana White would allow Rousey to work with WWE while she is still such a hot commodity in the UFC. Then again, this is the WWE after all, and money has never really been an issue. Generally speaking, what Vince McMahon wants, Vince McMahon gets (unless it’s a CM Punk return, sigh.)